1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coat film transfer tape cartridge and a coat film transfer tool, and more particularly to a refill type coat film transfer tape loading technique for replacing a coat film transfer tape in a coat: film transfer tool for transferring correction paint layer, marker paint layer, adhesive layer or other coat film on a coat film transfer tape onto the sheet of paper or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The coat film transfer tool of this kind is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 5-58097 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 5-13800.
These coat film transfer tools are both used as an eraser for correcting wrong letters, and as shown in FIG. 35(a) and FIG. 35(b), a pay-off reel (c) on which a coat film transfer tape (b) is wound, and a take-up reel (d) for collecting the used coat film transfer tape (bxe2x80x2) are rotatably provided in a case (a) which is held by one hand, and a coat film transfer head (f) for pressing the coat film transfer tape (b) onto the object of transfer (the correction area on the sheet of a paper) (e) is projecting from the leading end portion of the case (a) The both reels (c), (d) are automatically taken up as being linked mutually through an interlock unit (g) so as to cooperate. In the interlock unit (g), gears (h), (i) provided on the outer circumference of the both reels (c), (d) are engaged with each other.
The case (a) is a flat box having the contour shape and width dimension enough for incorporating the pay-off reel (c) and take-up reel (d), and the face and back of the flat shape, that is, the face and back to the sheet of paper in FIG. 35(a), (b) are the gripping sides when held by hand during use.
In the coat film transfer tool in FIG. 35(a), the leading end pressing portion (j) of the head (f) is designed to guide the coat film transfer tape (b) in a winding state of the pay-off reel (c) and take-up reel (d), and it is also-called vertical pulling structure suited to correction of a part of vertically written letters such as Japanese sentences. On the other hand, in the coat film transfer tool shown in FIG. 35 (b), the leading end pressing portion (j) of the head (f) is designed to guide the coat film transfer tape (b) almost oppositely to the gripping sides of the case (a), and it is a so-called lateral pulling structure suited to correction of a part of laterally written letters alphabetic sentences.
When correcting wrong letters by these coat film transfer tools, the gripping sides of the case (a) are held by fingers, the coat film transfer tape (b) is held tightly on the correction area (e) by means of the leading end pressing portion (j) of the head (f), and the case (a) is moved in a desired direction (arrow direction in FIG. 35 (a); vertical direction to sheet of paper in FIG. 35(b)). As a result, the correction paint layer of the coat film transfer tape (b) at the leading end pressing portion (j) of the head (f) is applied on the correction area (e) and the letter is erased, and the used coat film transfer tape (bxe2x80x2) is automatically taken up and collected on the take-up reel (d).
Recently, on the other hand, an effective use of resources of the earth is particularly demanded, and from the viewpoint of saving of resources, in this kind of coat film transfer tool, it is desired to employ a so-called refill type structure for replacing only the consumable part of coat film transfer tape (b).
From such viewpoint, lately, various replaceable tape cartridges provided in the case (a) are proposed. The tape cartridge as the consumable part is generally classified into a structure comprising four parts, coat film transfer tape (b), pay-off reel (c), take-up reel (d), and head (f), and a structure comprising three parts, coat film transfer tape (b), pay-off reel (c), and take-up reel (d)
In the tape cartridge of either structure, however, all components are put in a plastic container, and they are replaced entirely together with the used tape cartridge, and in particular the plastic container is relatively large filling up the inner space of the case (a) of the coat film transfer tool, and the rate of occupation of the materials in the entire device is large, and the structure has been demanded to be reduced in weight and simplified.
The conventional tape cartridge further comprises a member (not shown) for stopping rotation of the pay-off reel (c) and take-up reel (d) until being loaded into the case (a), and this rotation stopping member is discarded as refuse after loading the tape cartridge, and this point must be also improved from the viewpoint of saving of resources.
It is a primary object of the invention to present a novel tape cartridge for a coat film transfer tool solving the problems of the prior art.
It is other object of the invention to present a tape cartridge having a support body of lightweight and simple structure, and capable of replacing the coat film transfer tape easily and promptly, by improving the structure of the refill type coat film transfer tool.
It is a further object of the invention to present a coat film transfer tool comprising such tape cartridge, and having a small, simple, and inexpensive structure that can be used like a writing tool flexibly depending on the manner of holding of a writing tool of an individual user.
A first tape cartridge of the invention is a tape cartridge for coat film transfer tool replaceably loaded in a case of a coat film transfer tool, the coat film transfer tool comprising a pay-off reel having the coat film transfer tool and a take-up reel for collecting the coat film transfer tape after use, both rotating in cooperation, and further a coat film transfer head for pressing the coat film transfer tape on a transfer area, in which at least the rotatable pay-off reel having the coat film transfer tape and the rotatable take-up reel for collecting the coat film transfer tape after use are provided on a support body, this support body has a support base plate for rotatably supporting the opposite side ends of rotary shafts of both reels supported detachably and rotatably on a rotary support shaft of the case, and this support base plate has a flat skeletal structure having an outer contour corresponding to the inner contour of the case.
Preferably, the skeletal structure of the support base plate is composed of an outer contour skeletal member forming the outer contour of the support base plate, a bearing skeletal member forming the bearing for rotating and supporting the rotary shaft of the reel, and a connection skeletal member for connecting the both skeletal members, which are connected in a flat skeletal structure. The connection skeletal member is formed as being extended in the radial direction from the bearing.
Further, on the outer peripheral edge of the support base plate, a protective wall is integrally formed upright for surrounding and protecting the both reels, and the support base plate and protective wall may be combined to form a cartridge case for surrounding and holding three sides of the both reels, and in this case the cartridge case composed of the support base plate and protective wall is preferred to be formed in one piece made of synthetic resin. In other preferred structure, on the outer circumference of the protective wall, there is an engaging part to be engaged with a positioning engaging part provided in the inner circumference of the case of the coat film transfer tool, and when the tape cartridge is put in the case of the coat film transfer tool, the both reels are rotatably supported on both sides by the rotary support shaft and support base plate of the case.
Also preferably, at least one of the two reels is provided with a clutch mechanism for synchronizing the pay-off speed and take-up speed of the coat film transfer tape in the both reels, and this clutch mechanism specifically comprises a cylindrical tape core on which the coat film transfer tape is wound, a rotary drive unit for rotating and driving the tape core, and an engaging support member to be engaged with the rotary drive unit in the axial direction, and the tape core is supported at both sides in the axial direction by the rotary drive unit and engaging support member, and the tape core and the rotary drive unit are frictionally engaged with each other in the rotating direction by power transmitting means making use of the frictional force by thrust load.
A second tape cartridge of the invention is a tape cartridge for coat film transfer tool replaceably loaded in a case of a coat film transfer tool, the coat film transfer tool comprising a pay-off reel having the coat film transfer tool and a take-up reel for collecting the coat film transfer tape after use, both rotating in cooperation, and further a coat film transfer head for pressing the coat film transfer tape on a transfer area, in which the rotatable pay-off reel having the coat film transfer tape and the rotatable take-up reel for collecting the coat film transfer tape after use are provided on a support body, this support body integrally comprises rotation stopping means for stopping and holding the rotation of the reels, and this rotating stopping means has a structure to be engaged with the reels to stop rotation of the reels in a state before the support body is installed in the case, and engaged with a rotation stop release part provided in the case and released from the reels in a state of the tape cartridge being installed in the case.
A coat film transfer tool of the invention is a refill type coat film transfer tool containing the tape cartridge detachably and capable of replacing the coat film transfer tape, comprising a hand-held case, and a rotary support shaft supporting a pay-off reel and a take-up reel of the tape cartridge detachably and rotatably provided therein, in which the both reels are rotated and held at both sides by the rotary support shaft and the support body of the tape cartridge. A coat film transfer head for pressing the coat film transfer tool on a transfer area is provided either at the leading end of the case or at the support body of the tape cartridge.
Preferably, the coat film transfer head provided either in the support body of the tape cartridge or in the case of the coat film transfer tool has a structure of which leading end pressing part is suited to lateral pulling use, or a structure rotating about the axial center of the head for keeping a position suited to the manner of holding a writing tool of the user.
In the tape cartridge of the invention, firstly, the support body has a support base plate for rotatably supporting the opposite side ends of rotary shafts of the pay-off reel and take-up reel supported detachably and rotatably on a rotary support shaft of the case of the coat film transfer tool, and this support base plate has a flat skeletal structure having an outer contour corresponding to the inner contour of the case, and therefore as compared with the conventional plastic container, the rate of use of materials in the entire device of the support body itself is substantially curtailed.
Secondly, the support body integrally comprises rotation stopping means for stopping and holding the rotation of the pay-off reel and/or take-up reel, and this rotating stopping means has a structure to be engaged with the reels to stop rotation of the reels in a state before the support body is installed in the case, that is, in an ordinary state, and engaged with a rotation stop release part provided in the case and released from the reels in a state of the tape cartridge being installed in the case, and therefore an independent rotation stopping member in the prior art that is discarded after use is not required at all.
Further, the support body has at least a rotatable pay-off reel on which a coat film transfer tape is wound, and a rotatable take-up reel for collecting the coat film transfer tape after use, so that it can be replaced instantly.
That is, the support body is designed to support rotatably the opposite side ends of rotary shafts of the both reels supported on the rotary support shaft of the case, and therefore the user has only to hold the support body and put the tape cartridge into the case while keeping the rotary shaft of the reels in engagement with the rotary support shaft of the case from the upper side, then the replacement procedure is over. In particular, in the structure in which the coat film transfer head is provided in the support body, setting of the coat film transfer tape on the coat film transfer head is completed already in the product stage, and the replacement is easier and faster.
In the coat film transfer head, its leading end pressing part is suited to lateral pulling use, or it is designed to rotate about the axial center of the head, so that the user can use with a sense of holding a writing tool.
In the latter structure, in particular, the coat film transfer head rotates about the axial center of the head in a specified range, and depending on the application or manner of holding by the user, the head position can be held in an appropriate state. It also includes a concept that the coat film transfer tool of the invention, if originally designed for use by a right-handed user in the head basic structure, can be held and used by a left-handed user naturally in an optimum head position.
These and other objects and features of the invention will be more clearly understood by reading the detailed description with the accompanying drawings and the novel facts indicated in the claims.